


Matron vs Matriarch

by TheLadyMuse



Series: Blackstrike [3]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 20:15:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13197726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyMuse/pseuds/TheLadyMuse
Summary: Molly Weasley squares off with Walburga Black- and loses. Sequel-ish to The Road Not Taken





	Matron vs Matriarch

Walburga sniffed her disapproval at the damned interloper. Molly Weasley obviously had no idea how to properly command her family. In Walburga’s opinion, the red haired harpy was uneducated in the matters of commanding a family, much less a war council. _No one_ would give a damn about the children’s ages, they would care about the blood in their veins and their allegiance.

Huffing, the Black family matriarch stormed into her personal office. Regulus had his ‘dungeon’ where he’d been brewing and researching for the last decade, Orion had commandeered the Library, and Sirius, Remus and Harry had gleefully set about making the duelling rooms useful. Snarling, the witch swung her wand around, growling incantations to clean the damn place.

Not that the spells were needed, Kreacher and Winky (a rescued elf from Hogwarts, damn but Harry was a good boy) kept the place gleaming. It soothed her though, to cast and growl.

-

In another part of the mansion, Molly Weasley was fuming. Unlike Walburga, who was venting despite winning, the red haired matron was foaming over losing. Didn’t Walburga understand that the children needed to remain children a little longer? The war room was no place for students!

As the unfortunate woman ranted and raved, her children scampered away from her, afraid that she would try to enforce her opinion despite Walburga duelling her for and winning the title of Matriarch of the Black Family. The tapestry (which had been repaired years before) had glowed when Walburga actively reassumed control.

Despite Molly’s wishes, her first order had been for Harry to be fully debriefed on everything he knew, and for all the children to be briefed afterwards with the rest of the adults. Ron and Hermione had been drawn in, praised and reprimanded where appropriate.

What most fed Molly’s ire was that Walburga had duelled her into the ground despite being several years older. But then (though she hadn’t stated it) Walburga, Orion and Regulus had been duelling each other to the ‘death’ for years, knowing Voldemort’s supporters woyuld be after them if they knew the Black Family had survived and changed allegiance.

And perhaps that was what irked Molly most of all. Walburga, Orion and Regulus had not sworn to Dumbledore their allegiance. In fact, once Walburga’s orders had been obeyed, she had commanded her elder son to take up the mantle of Black Family head, and had sworn her undying loyalty to him gladly, as had his father, brothers and godson.

-

As for Harry himself, he was delighted to be separated from his friends temporarily. Sirius’ first command had been for Remus to get the others up to snuff with help from Bill, while Harry would study with Sirius and Regulus.

Studying with the Black brothers was a lot of things. Wonderful. Bizarre. Strange. An experience. Disorienting. Difficult. They chattered about things that they expected him to know and be able to do, but didn’t look down on him if he didn’t know or couldn’t do. Regulus corrected his brewing and Sirius guided his casting until it was up to NEWT level.

Most of all, he was treated with the respect due his experience, yet given the freedom to be the teenager he was. There were expectations, sure, but there was far more caring than here than there had ever been with the Dursleys. It made him hope they might even win the War.


End file.
